A Facility Manager's 7-Point Checklist: Preventing Costly Oversights (Paper Towel Dispensers, Coreless Toilet Paper, and More)

Who This Checklist Is For

If you manage a commercial building—a hotel, office complex, or retail space—you know that small things can snowball into big expenses. I've reviewed over 200 facility maintenance plans annually as a quality compliance manager. The mistakes I see aren't complex engineering failures. They're the little oversights: the dispenser that jams, the toilet paper run-out that annoys guests, the garage door that suddenly stops working, or the gnats that infest a break room. This checklist is built for the busy facility manager who wants to catch these problems before they cost real money.

Let me be clear: I'm not a fan of long theory sections. Here are the 7 steps, each one actionable. Follow them and you'll cut down on rework calls, supply waste, and tenant complaints.

Step 1: Verify Your Paper Towel Dispenser Setup

The #1 source of wasted paper in my audits? Dispensers that aren't configured correctly. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a Georgia-Pacific paper towel dispenser with a jammed feed because someone skipped the manual. Look, the manual isn't just a PDF to ignore—it tells you how to adjust the cut length, set the dispense mode (touchless vs. crank), and troubleshoot the sensor.

Here's what you need to know: always keep a copy of the Georgia-Pacific paper towel dispenser manual in the building's maintenance folder. I've seen facilities save $1,200 a year just by dialing in the correct cut length—reducing waste without annoying users. Trust me, 5 minutes of verification beats 5 days of correction.

Step 2: Evaluate Your Coreless Toilet Paper Supply

Coreless toilet paper has become a no-brainer for high-traffic restrooms. Less core waste, longer runs between changes, and fewer storage headaches. But not all coreless rolls are the same. When I specify Georgia-Pacific coreless toilet paper for a 300-room hotel, I always check the roll diameter and sheet count against the dispensers. A mismatch can cause jams and early run-outs.

Why does this matter? Because a run-out in a public restroom creates a bad guest experience—and that's a deal-breaker for repeat business. In Q1 2024, a hotel I worked with saved $2,400 annually by switching to coreless and adjusting dispenser tension. The question isn't "should I buy coreless?"—it's "am I pairing it with the right hardware?"

Step 3: Choose the Right Glass Cleaner

Glass cleaner seems trivial, but it's a red flag for me. I've seen facilities buy the cheapest generic glass cleaner to save $0.50 per bottle. Then that residue builds up on windows, requiring a professional cleaning that cost $400. Real talk: commercial-grade glass cleaner (like the one from Georgia-Pacific's commercial hygiene lineup) is formulated to avoid streaks on automatic doors and mirrors. The bottom line: spending $5 more per gallon upfront saves you from re-cleaning calls.

One more thing: check the spray trigger. Low-quality triggers break after 200 uses; decent ones last 2,000. That spare trigger cost is a hidden expense. Take it from someone who's rejected entire batches of cleaning supplies because of cheap triggers.

Step 4: Inspect Your Garage Door Opener (Especially Genie)

Let me guess—you have a Genie garage door opener in your loading dock or maintenance bay. They're reliable, but they need a yearly check. I once audited a warehouse where a Genie opener failed mid-operation, trapping a delivery truck. The cost to repair it was $350, but the delay cost $2,000 in missed shipments. That's a penny-wise, pound-foolish situation.

Here's a quick checklist for Genie openers:

• Test the safety reverse (place a 2x4 under the door—should reverse).
• Check battery backup (if equipped).
• Lubricate the chain or belt annually.

If you've ever had a door stuck halfway, you know the headache. Spending 30 minutes on preventive checks saves you from that.

Step 5: Implement a Gnat Prevention Routine

Now you're thinking: "How did we get to gnats?" I'll tell you. A facility manager I know got a complaint from a restaurant tenant about fruit flies. They tried sprays, traps—nothing worked. The root cause was a neglected floor drain in the break room where organic matter built up. The solution wasn't a spray; it was a drain cleaner and a weekly flush schedule. If you need how to get rid of gnats in house (or facility), here's the four-step approach:

1. Find the source: check drains, garbage cans, overwatered plants, and hidden spills.
2. Clean the drain: pour a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water weekly.
3. Remove attractants: take out trash daily and wipe down surfaces.
4. Use sticky traps for monitoring, not as primary control.

The old belief that gnats come from outside is a historical myth—most infestations start inside from standing water and organic debris. Prevention here costs pennies; a full extermination visit costs hundreds.

Step 6: Audit Dispenser Spare Parts Inventory

This one's often overlooked. You have 20 Georgia-Pacific paper towel dispensers in your building. Do you have spare batteries for the touchless models? Extra valve cartridges for the soap dispensers? I've seen a facility call an emergency service call for a dead battery—a $75 service charge for a $2 battery. The fix: keep a small inventory of commonly needed parts. It's a no-brainer once you realize the math.

For example, if your dispenser manual lists a specific battery type (like 3V CR123A), stock 10. That's $20 investment. The alternative is a guest walking out with wet hands or a maintenance person scrambling during peak hours.

Step 7: Review Your Chemical Dispensing Equipment

This applies to glass cleaner, floor cleaner, and sanitizer dispensers. The concentrated refill packs are cheaper per ounce, but if the dilution ratio is wrong, you're either wasting product or not cleaning effectively. I've seen a janitorial crew use a generic glass cleaner in a Georgia-Pacific dispenser tank without adjusting the mix—resulted in cloudy windows that required re-cleaning. The lesson: follow the manufacturer's dilution chart exactly. Post it near the dispenser. A 5-minute training session can save $500 in wasted chemical concentrate each quarter.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I've learned these the hard way:

• Don't assume "one size fits all" dispensers work with every roll type. Always match the coreless toilet paper diameter to the dispenser's max capacity.
• Don't ignore the garage door safety test just because it passed last year. Sensors can shift.
• Don't use the cheapest glass cleaner to save a few bucks—the long-term cost is higher.
• Don't wait for a gnat problem to start drain maintenance. Weekly flushing is key.

Bottom line: This checklist isn't exhaustive, but it covers the most common blind spots I see in facilities across the country. Start with Step 1 today. Your budget will thank you when you avoid that $22,000 redo from a simple oversight.